Improvement in car-couplings



J -J L A H A Y E. y Improvement rin.- Car-Couplings.

NO. 132,672. Patented Uct. 29,1872.

I E u" F166 g 1 fl num I mi www NrrED STATES PATENT -EErcE JOHN JOSEPHLAHAYE, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,672, dated October29, 1872.

Nature and Object of the Intention. My invention consists of acar-coupling, too

. fully described hereafter to need preliminary explanation; the objectsof my invention be ing to render cars self-coupling, to retain thecoupling-links in a horizontal position When the cars are approachingeach other, to enable cars of diiferent heights to be readily coupledtogether without inclining the links, and the attainment of otheradvantages more particularly alluded to hereafter.

'Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a sectional view of my improved car-coupling with the linkattached; Fig. 2, the same with the coupling-piu raised; Fig.

, 3, a view of two coupling-heads linked together; Fig. 4, a plan viewof Fig. 3 With one of the heads in section ,and Figs. 5, 6, and 7, viewsof modifications.

General Description.

A represents the front portion of a couplinghead arranged for attachmentto the under side of a car or truck and to a spring drawbar as usual,and having acurved front end or face, a, and a recessed interior for thereception of the link X, coupling-pin B, and a number of loosehorizontal partitions or guides, D, which are strung upon a bolt, F,arranged to slide vertically in the rear portion of the draw-head. Theloose partitions or guides D may be made solid, or may consist of lightstrips of wrought-iron or steel doubled or bent to the peculiar formbest observed in Fig. 2, each partition being rounded to a point infront so as to form inclined passages b between all of them for theintroduction of the link. Holes c on line With corresponding holes cland c2 in the top and bottom of the draw-head are formed in all thepartitions for the passage of the coupling-pin B. The uppermostpartition D consists of a simple bent plate which may either embrace thebolt F beneath a shoulder, t, on the same, as shown in Fig. l, or behinged to the said bolt, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3, so that the latterwhen depressed may, by its weight,

. serve to maintain all the partitions in contact With each other and ina horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. When the sliding bolt F isthus depressed and supported by the partitions, a slide, d, connected tothe said bolt by a link, c, covers the opening o1 in the top of thedraw-head and prevents the descent of the coupling-pin B. This slide dcan only be with! drawn from over the opening o1 so as to permit thedescent of the coupling-pin by elevating the sliding-bolt F, and thelatter will be automatically elevated when, owing to the introduction ofa link into the draw-head, the movable' guides or partitions yield andsepa` rate in the manner best observed in Fig. 3, so as to permit thepassage of the link between them; the uppermost partition D being raisedtoward the top of the draw-head, and consequently elevating the slidingbolt lF, withdrawing the slide d, and permitting the descent of the pinB Ythrough the holes inthe partitions and through the link which hasbeen introduced between the latter, the coupling being thusautomatically aifected Without requiring an attendant to incur the usualrisk 'of standing between the cars to hold the link and drop the pin atthe proper moment. In uncouplin g it will be only -necessary to raisethe pin B in order to permit the withdrawal of the link on the partingof the cars; and when the linkV has been thus Withdrawn the severalparts will be immediately restored to their original positions, Fig.2,'the couplingpin being supported in an'elevated position as before bythe slide d. For the purpose of imparting a degree of elasticity to thepartitions or guides one or more of the latter in each draw-head may besplit or divided at the rear end, as shown at hin Figs. 3 and 5, and forthe purpose of reducing the strain upon the coupling-pins and ofpreventing the bending of the same by heavy strains, each of the boltsF, to which the said coupling-pins are connected vby the yieldingpartitions, may be braced by an arm, k, projecting from the rear end ofthe draw-head, as shown in Fig. 5.

There are several advantages arising from the use ofthe yieldingpartitions or guides D in the coupling-heads, which may be enumeratedand -referred to as follows: First, they permit tho cars to beself-coupling, as before described; second, they retain the links in ahorizontal position, as seen in Fig. 1, when cars are approaching eachother, and thus facilitate the automatic coupling of the same; third,they enable cars of different heights to be readily coupled together, asthe link may be held between the uppermost partitions of one drawheadand inserted between the two lowermost partitions of the oppositedraw-head, or vice versa 5 and fourth, they serve as braces for thecoupling-pins and prevent injury or straining of either the pins orlinks, and, while maintaining the latter in a proper horizontalposition, are yet capable of yielding readily to any sudden shocks orjars. l

Gare should be taken in carrying out my invention to employcoupling-links of a lesslength than the distance between the bolts F oftwo draw-heads when the latter are brought together. Otherwise the linkswould, in bumping,77 strike and bend the said bolts, and becomethemselves spread or bent. It is not absolutely necessary that the slideor retainer d should be operated through the medium of the sliding boltF, as it can be readily arranged to be operated directly by the yieldingpartitions in such a manner as to retain and release the coupling-pin.In Fig. 6, for instance, the retainer' takes the form of a bent platehinged to the interior of the draw-head resting upon the uppermostpartition D', and

` having a hole cut in it for the passage of the coupling-pin. Thishole, however, is only brought to a position directly beneath the pin soas to permit the latter to fall through it when the hinged retainer israised by the up` ward movement of the partitions on the introduction ofa link between the latter. In this modification the sliding bolt Fserves merely to connect the partitions together and to retain them inproper position. In the modification ot' my invention shown in Fig. 7the sliding bolt F and coupling-pin are represented as consisting of asingle bent rod, and the slide or hinged plate d is dispensed with, thecouplingpin being retained in an elevated position by means of a pawl orcatch, d', pivoted to the top of the draw-head, adapted to notches cutin the sliding bolt and having a sleeve, r, which embraces the bolt andrests on the uppermost partition D. When the latter partition is raised,owing to the introduction of a link, the catch is disengaged from thenotches 2 naamw of the sliding bolt and the latter and the coupling-pindescend. A rod, T, adapted to a plate, s, and connected bya chain, s',to the lower end of the sliding bolt, is used in con nection with thislatter arrangement for the purpose of preventing the descent of thecoupling-pin'wheu cars are to be pushed or backed onto sidings, &c., orwherever it is l Claims.

1. The combination, substantially as herein described, of theindependent partitions or guides with the sliding bolt F, for thepurpose specified.

2. The combination of the said independent partitions or guides with ahinged retaining and releasing device for the coupling-pin,substantially as described, and as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

3. The combination of the said independent partitions or guides with thesliding bolt F and with the devices connected therewith, or anyequivalent to the same, through the medium of which the separation ofthe partitions on the introduction of a link may be caused to releasethe pin B and effect an automatic coupling of the cars.

4. The combination and arrangement, substantially as herein described,of the said partitions or guides, a sliding bolt and couplingpinconnected together at the top or formed of a single bent rod and acatch, d', adapted to notches on the sliding rod, and having' a sleeve,r, resting upon the uppermost partition.

5. The combination, with the subject-matter of the fourth claim, of achain and rod or retainer, T, arranged substantially as described. v6.The bracing-arm 7c adapted to the sliding rod F, and arranged in respectto the partitions D, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribin g witnesses.

JOHN JOS. LAHAYE.

Witnesses MARCUS BEHM, WILLIAM SETLY.

